Diverse liner services facilitate steel transports

Mika Saarinen, Director of Sales and Business Development at Baltic Line, thinks that it is worthwhile for steel customers to concentrate their shipments to the port of Turku where a wide range of modes of transport is available.

“In Turku, the shipping companies do not primarily compete with each other, but offer on the whole one of the most comprehensive networks of liner services in Finland.”

He adds that Turku is a good place to combine steel transport flows, in both imports and exports. Concentration brings volume discounts and at the same time reduces emissions, as the fill rate at sea and on road and rail improves.

“Of course, liner traffic in itself means flexibility. It is possible to carry cost-efficiently also smaller volumes of steel as part loads on board liner ships.”

Baltic Line carries both import and export shipments of steel and other metals on its liner ships between Turku and Norway. On the way they stop in the Baltic States, Poland, Northern Germany, Southern Sweden, and Denmark. The route has been operated from Turku for over 35 years.

“We have at our disposal three side gate ships which can transport any cargo loaded by crane or forklift. The ship departs from Turku weekly on Thursdays.”

Mr Symes of Mann Lines: “Traffic begets traffic”

David Symes, General Manager of Mann Lines Oy, agrees with his colleague.

“Traffic begets traffic, as the customers can see that things are working there”, he contemplates.

Mann Lines’ ro-ro vessel M/S Freyja makes three nine-day voyages on its route Turku–Bremerhaven–Harwich–Rotterdam–Cuxhaven-Paldiski–Turku. The ship has feeder connections for vessels that continue from Rotterdam to Spain – and as a new option from Rotterdam to Ireland.

“A ro-ro vessel is a particularly good option when relatively small batches of steel are being shipped.”

Ms Seppola of Finnlines: “Customers want the steel delivered to their doorstep”

Finnlines’ ro-ro vessel sails from Turku to Travemünde, Germany once a week. Key Account Manager Leena Seppola says that their steel transports are dominated by imports.

“The majority of the steel we transport is currently shipped via Helsinki, because there are daily liner services available there. Turku complements these services; steel is delivered from the port of Turku by road e.g. to the west coast of Finland and in the direction of Tampere.”

She adds that the current trend is that the customers request the steel to be delivered to their doorstep and want to avoid intermediate warehousing – this service is also available in Turku.

“Trailer deliveries are also on the rise. When the steel can be loaded to a trailer already at the point of departure, there is no need for intermediate handling, and the shipment can be delivered to the destination as it is.”

Ms Seppola point out that also roll trailers are always unloaded quickly:

“One roll trailer may include several smaller steel batches from different manufacturers that are destined to different parts of the country. They are unloaded swiftly and then the steel batches are transported onwards by truck.”

Turku has many advantages

The representatives of the shipping companies think that in addition to diverse liner services and good road connections, Turku’s advantages in transports include e.g. expert port operators. The port also has plenty of available equipment, outdoor storage space and warehouses required for the handling of steel. It is important that the shipping companies and the port operators used by them are able to offer overall services including comprehensive land transports, so that the steel batches can be transported directly from the point of departure to the destination.

“The port of Turku is suitably sized for steel transports. A berth can be found without waiting, and there is no congestion, which helps to ensure short turnaround times”, Mr Symes from Mann Lines points out.

According to the representatives of the shipping companies, affairs with the Port of Turku work well. The services are quick and flexible.

“They understand in Turku that the shipping companies and the Port have shared benefits. When a shipping company succeeds with its services, the Port receives commendation as well – and naturally the other way around. This provides a good foundation for developing the operations in the future, too”, Ms Seppola from Finnlines ponders.

Text: Matti Välimäki
Photos: Aija Kallio, Markku Koivumäki, Janne Bergman / Valhalla Works, Jarmo Piironen